The government will next week start the official bidding process for the construction of the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway. Infrastructure, Housing, and Urban Development Minister Charles Milupi has said that an advert calling for bids will be issued.
Mr. Milupi said that the government has already received a number of unsolicited bids on the project and some are proposing to work on the road at a cost that is 40-percent lower than the initial $1.2 billion projected by the previous regime.
Mr. Milupi said that the project will uphold the three conditions set by President HAkainde Hichilema of ensuring that construction works are done at the right price and delivered to the right quality in a timely manner.
The Infrastructure Minister said this in Ndola when he paid a courtesy call on Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo.
Mr. Matambo said the Lusaka-Ndola road is in a bad state and needs to be worked on urgently because it connects other parts of the country to the Copperbelt which is an economic hub.
Mr. Matambo also asked the infrastructure Minister to consider working on other roads in the Province such as the Chingola-Kasumbalesa, Ndola-Mufulira, Mufulira -Mokambo, and Chibuluma roads among others.
Mr. Milupi is leading an entourage of Road Development Agency (RDA) officials who are inspecting road projects on the Copperbelt and North-Western Provinces.
Lately, Former Transport Minister William Harrington said that the recent revelations by transport minister Frank Tayali that the contractor engaged to construct the controversial Lusaka-Ndola duo carriageway have offered to construct the road at 50 percent lower than the original cost of $1.2 billion smells of corruption.
In 2018 the PF administration under then-president Edgar Lungu agreed to have the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway constructed at a cost of more than $1.2 billion but the road development agency halted the construction of the road and attributed the stagnation to financial constraints.
Transport and Logistics Minister Frank Tayali is on record to have disclosed that the contractor that was meant to work on the dual carriageway at a cost of more than $1.2 billion has come back into the country and has agreed to do the works at a-50 percent lower rate than what was demanded before.
But Mr. Harrington said that there was need for the anti-corruption commission to take interest in the matter as it is one of the projects the former patriotic front regime could have attempted to use to siphon money from the country for its failed attempt to win the august elections. Mr. Harrington has advised the new dawn government to ask the contractor why he overpriced the road project.
One Minister says the orignial main contractor is willing to do the work for half the price without stateing how he came about the figure of 1.2 billion now this other minister is talking about accepting bids for the same project.
This is a non starter. Too many statements.
Milupi said that the project will uphold the three conditions set by President HAkainde Hichilema of ensuring that construction works are done at the right price and delivered to the right quality in a timely manner. SO YOU PERSONALLY HAVE NO OPINION ON THE MATTER. LEAVE POLITICS TO THE YOUNG.
This is the most corrupt govt ever. It stinks. This man is one of the most corrupt men I have ever dealt with. Look even chi ugly tarino has lost confidence in the monkeys he supported. Tarino you cheated Zambians to vote for your tribesmen . They are suffering while you are being kept safe there abroad. You f00Iish dog
Tarino, I agree as well.
One problem is that HH has even stopped doing press conferences. No accountability or transparency.
In fact, he seems comfortable with all those bad laws that used to disadvantage him in opposition. He does not plan to repeal them.
Forest 27 remains. Lower Zambezi will be a mine. Corrupt PF will keep the stolen money. Gassers are still at large. The VIP jet remains. Fuel prices are up.
HH is a conman, just like Lungu. At least Lungu never pretended not being a thief.
Have you understood the story? You should learn to read stories carefully and understand them. Not just rushing to always make useless comments
SONTA APOWALILE
! SONTA APOWALILE!
He wants to show that he is doing things officially but goes on to tell us unofficial stuff like he has received “…..unsolicited bids on the project and some are proposing to work on the road at a cost that is 40-percent lower than the initial $1.2 billion projected by the previous regime.”
Whats the idea.? He doesnt know what to do?
Please work on standard of works too. We dont want PF quality construction including compelling contractors to cart away and clean up rubble. Also identify no nonsense consultants who will supervise the contractors without taking kick-backs to pass and approve shoddy works. For goodness sake, expand the road size too. Truck drivers now drive on the inner lanes due to narrow roads in Zambia. This is creating blindspots for other road users and may be contributing to road accidents.
People, are we getting this dumb? The story is so clear. The statements corroborate and reinforce the other. Im failing to understand what you think the story says.
Kaizer, if UPND is more corrupt than your PF govt, the devil lives in heaven.
IndigoTyrol – One area this govt has done poorly is information dissemination which will be its downfall….its only a matter of time before the opposition sorts itself out and they will start panicking. This is a billion dollar project and you are issuing varied statements…the President needs to do some reshuffles especially at the ministry of information.
NoCorruptZambia – How can you have unsolicated bids when you have already indicated that the govt has agreed with the first contract to do the project at half price…you think a construction company just does a half billion bids from guessworking. Why are they entertaining these unsoliticated bids when they have not issued a tender?
Hmmm no Milupi, didn’t you award this contract to a deregistered NGO from South Africa? Was Given Lubinda challenging why whilst you called them thieves for the $1.2 billion quote then what should they call you for your $1.8 billion quote to a deregistered NGO? Instead of answering you want to throw a black blanket on us or is it a black duvet. Ichalo chalikaba bane. Mwalemona kwati it’s as simple as buying and selling companies.
NoCorruptZambia – Please ignore the UK based Impostor its craving for attention …starve out of its oxygen!!
Correct @# 6, Miti. Compounding the problem of easy understanding is the substandard reporting construction by the LT journalists who seem not conversant with structuring sentences to depict properly what they’re trying to convey! The reporting paints a very confusing picture especially where the same story involves more than a single source!
Th quality of reporting on this platform is very low.
The poor reporting by LT ensures different people get different messages, especially people who see everything through political spectacles.
Don’t just look at amount quoted… the contractor must be interviewed on all elements of the job eg their source of material, number and qualifications of their employees etc. Remember in road construction there’s down payment for mobilization. This money is usually mismanaged…in the end the contractor abandons the project. Always remember CHEAP IS NOT ALWAYS CHEAP. People will quote cheaply so that they can get these contracts.
Toll fees for small vehicles to go to K38.00 from K20.00. Remove one Kwacha from fuel and recover it through tolls eighteen times.. Let’s pray this is just propaganda.
Naturally so. Mr William Harrington is absolutely right! How can a contractor who pegged the road construction works of the Ndola-Lusaka dual carrige way at $1,200,000 come back and bid at half the contract price now with the ever escalating cost of living prevailing? Surely a thorough investigation must be done and the culprits brought to book. $600,000 still remains high. Don’t allow this contractor to play on your minds.
An unsolicited bid by a contractor of $600,000 (50% less than what this same contractor had initially bidded for)? Minister of Infrastructure be absolutely careful! The proposed bid price may seem attractive to you and your team and yet it could be way to high. Mr Harrington is absolutely right! A thorough Investigation must be instituted to reveal why this contractor asked for $1,200,000 for 300 km and has now dropped it to $600,000. The culprits must be brought to book, period!